WE ARE
The Dreams of Our Ancestors
By Imani Brown-Ajayi, Marianna Dibba, Dazariah Ellis, Nalah Fearce, Nandi Mawasi, Wisdom Mawasi, and Dr. Artika Tyner
Last month, I attended a Cousins Party, hosted by two of my cousins. My mother and her five siblings have all passed away as of February of this year, and we wanted to have an occasion to connect, one that didn’t involve a homegoing. Having some 30 first cousins, and our extended families, it was a blast, with all the generations there, and I look forward to more of them in the future. It was a time to share our stories and memories of our kings and queens who have gone before us, as in this week’s collaborative poem We Are: The Dreams of Our Ancestors.
The poem begins with a call from the ancestors, inviting the children to listen. Each page gives the reader a different facet of “We are…” It could be our multifaceted skin tones, our diverse tribal origins, our dreams, our hopes, faith, the bricks that make our foundation, etc.
Today, more than ever, our collaborators show us the need children have to be connected, to know where they come from, the strong, proud heritage upon whose shoulders we stand. I love this quote from the book: “We are Black, Bold, and Brilliant, rich beyond measure. We are still here.” I also loved the “Bricks” page. If you look closely, you will see the names of notable African Americans, past and present, who have made a difference in our history, each in their own way.
We Are: The Dreams of Our Ancestors is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s City of Books, and the Planting People Growing Justice Press (www.ppgjli.org).
To Imani, Marianna, Dazariah, Nalah, Nandi, Wisdom, and Artika: thank you, thank you, thank you, for the lights that you are in our community!
W.D. Foster-Graham
W.D. Foster-Graham is a native son of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received a B.A. in psychology from Luther College, and he was an original member of the multi-Grammy-Award-winning ensemble, Sounds of Blackness. He has also been recognized by the International Society of Poets as one of its “Best New Poets of 2003,” is a guest writer for journalist/author/entertainer Wyatt O’Brian Evans.
